Update: Yankees recall Wise and Eppley, option Mitchell

Via Pete Caldera, the Yankees are going to recall outfielder Dewayne Wise from Triple-A. He’s on his way to Kansas City and may even already be there. I assume Mariano Rivera was placed on the 15-day DL to clear a roster spot for Wise while either Michael Pineda or Cesar Cabral was transferred to the 60-day DL to open a 40-man roster.

Wise, 34, posted a .459 wOBA in 19 Triple-A games but hitting his not his forte. He’s a defensive stud capable of manning all three outfield spots with aplomb. Nick Swisher took batting practice on the field today according to Erik Boland, but perhaps the Wise move indicates that Swisher’s hamstring is still giving him a problem. He got hurt last Sunday and the Yankees have been playing with a short bench ever since.

Update (4:39pm): Via Boland, right-hander Cody Eppley has been recalled as well. That makes me think Swisher might be headed to the DL.

Update (5:41pm): The Yankees announced that right-hander D.J. Mitchell was optioned back to Triple-A, so Swisher avoids the DL. Pineda was transferred to the 60-day DL to clear a 40-man spot for Wise. Just to quickly recap: Wise and Eppley up, Mitchell down, and Mo to the DL.

It is completely meaningless to ascribe any blame to a BP hitter for Mo’s injury, but the fact that it was a Jayson Nix fly ball that led to Rivera’s slip does not exactly endear him to me.

RetroRob

Yes. It’s completely meaningless.

sangreal

I still remember the hate thrown at Lance Berkman for taking out arod during BP

Get Phelps Up (formerly Freddy Garcia’s 86 mph Heat)

And what was funny about that is that he was turned around because JOE BUCK asked him a question or something.

Fin

Its becoming hard to read this board any longer. Why would any rational human being even occupy his brain with any ill feelings towards a guy taking batting practice. Eventually, this is place is going to turn into MLB.com, just because its known.

RetroRob

Any word on who gets sent down yet, or did they officially DL Mo and replace him with Wise? I guess that’s the likely move at the second.

Brian Cashman is watching

Can someone explain to me why teams don’t automatically place players on the 60 day DL? For example, knowing Pineda or Rivera is done for at least 60 days (or the full season), why doesn’t the team just go right to the 60 day DL to open the roster spot? Is it a money or insurance issue, or are there limited 60 day DL spots?

http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa

You can’t use the 60-day DL until you need it. The 40-man has to be full and you have to add another player right away.

Rey22

I’d always wondered the exact same thing. Did not know that, thanks.

Brian Cashman is watching

Thanks so much, never knew that.

CC

I believe Swish was placed on the DL today as both Wise and Eppley have been called up.

CC

Actually DJ Mitchell was sent back down to Scranton…….So Swish wasn’t placed on the DL, not yet at least.

Midland TX

I assume they retro’d Swisher so it won’t change his availability date or anything. I guess Girardi and Cashman decided early on that they’d rather bet on a slim chance to get 3-4 days of Swisher at the back end than have a sure thing of 15 days of Nix or Wise.

Steve (different one)

Yes. Plus layering on the factor that these guys are out of options and will possibly be lost in a week.

Michael Mirabella

Rivera is coming back next year according to sources.

J $

I would mail a blank check to be at the Stadium the first time Enter Sandman came on over the speakers again. CHILLS.

Tom

So back to a normal 7 man bullpen (well somewhat…. nothing’s normal with Mo)

How they could carry an 8 man pen while also carrying Swisher was just absurd. At least now they have a 3 man bench even with Swisher unavailable.

I think this also could just as easily mean Gardner may be out longer than expected as opposed to Swish.

Tom

“nothing’s normal with Mo out” that is.

sangreal

Gardner is already out longer than expected. Still don’t get why they refused to activate an outfielder when Gardner first got hurt

Fin

If you like Wise, when hes gone next week to another team, then you understand. Its all about options, and they were trying to keep them. Clearly, the Yankees were hoping for the best case with Gardner and then Swish, and clearly it didnt happen. Now they are basically going to give a guy like Wise away.

forensic

So, I guess Mitchell was too difficult for Girardi to change to something like Mitchy so they had to get Eppley back as soon as possible. Other than that I don’t see the point in that move.

JohnnyC

They want to keep Mitchell stretched out in case he may be needed to pitch in the rotation. Pettitte’s not a lead pipe cinch and both Hughes and Phelps may prove to suck.

Tom

I think it’s because Girardi wanted two long man in the pen to cover Phelps’ start and Hughes start… With Phelps start cleared they now only need to cover Hughes start (which I assume is Garcia).

I also wonder if Hughes puts in another one of his “better than expected” starts (read: poor/mediocre), Phelps may get bumped next week. Everyone after him (Sabathia, Kuroda, Hughes) would be moved up a day and Pettitte slots in the same as planned on Saturday. The off day allows Girardi to do this with everyone on normal rest.

While Pettitte is lined up with Hughes I think people are too quick to assume that means Hughes is bumed from the rotation, I would not be surprised to see Phelps bumped if Pettitte is indeed called up next Saturday.

Robinson Tilapia

Smart moves all around. Eppley seemed like he could hang just fine in the big league bullpen. I’m sure Mitchell will be back at some point and will get a fair look.

Jonathan

Um he’s wrong. Swisher did NOT take batting practice today. I was behind the Yankee dugout from 4:15 on and he didn’t even come out and stretch or do anything. He’s been at the ballpark but hasn’t come out on the field the entire series. Dunno why he thought Swish did.